Santiago’s Choral Chants Live in Electo Silva Gainza

The Excelencias Group brings up a personality of Santiago de Cuba’s culture that studied music on the Caribbean island of Haiti and has become a national and international figure due to his vast work as a musician and a pedagogue. Electo Silva Gainza is a maestro of choral chant in Santiago de Cuba.

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Electo Silva has lived in this south-eastern city for over 85 years, although he moved with his family to the Caribbean island of Haiti at the age of 8. That was where he discovered his musical talent. He studied violin, began playing with local small-format orchestras and took his first steps into the choral activity. He also learned French and Creole.

When Silva returned to Santiago de Cuba, he continued studying and graduated in Pedagogy and Psychology at the Eastern University, where he later worked as assistant professor. He was also appointed director of the Psychometrics and Orientation Department, Sub-dean and Dean of the Education Faculty and director of the Music Department.

All these developments took place after he won a scholarship granted by the French Alliance to study Psychology in Paris, in 1932. France gave him the opportunity to enhance his knowledge, cultural level and get to know new musical horizons. This Santiago-born man with controversial character, low height, loves a good conversation.

Silva began his choral activity in 1955 when he founded his first choir, “Polyphonic Singers”, followed by “University Choral” and “Santiago Choral Society” in collaboration with Esteban Salas Conservatoire, an institution he founded and headed for several years. He never put his work as cultural promoter aside.

“Santiago Choral Society” was a prestigious choir that took him to several countries with numerous tours, established his professional career and made him stand as the Dean of choral directors in Cuba, Permanent President of Santiago de Cuba International Choirs Festival and a member of the board at the Cuban Choirs Association. Silva also founded the National Choirs Festival, Santiago Concerts and the Cuban Center for Choral Education.

“Misa Caribeña”; “Pido silencio”, with text written by Pablo Neruda; “La rosa roja”, by Oscar Hernández; “Pensamiento”, by Teofilito; “Santiaguera”, by Matamoros, “El castigador”, by Ignacio Piñeiro; “A veces”, with text written by Nicolás Guillén; “Iré a Santiago”, lyric by Federico García Lorca and “Gracias a la vida”, by Violeta Parra, are songs with music or choral version by maestro Silva Gainza, who is also the author of books “Toda la música” and “Treinta canciones populares cubanas”.

Choral chant has lived in Electo Silva Gainza for decades and it’s the passion of his life, as well as the family he has raised with Dolores, his lifetime partner and professional assistant.   

His work as a composer has made him win several national awards and his works have been edited in Sweden, Denmark, United States and France. He has composed choral pieces based on verses written by Spanish-speaking poets and he has made choral adaptations, as well as works to be played with piano, violin and piano, and works for children.

Electo Silva Gainza has been given numerous recognitions, including the National Culture Distinction, Alejo Carpentier Medal, Félix Varela Order, José María Heredia Plaque, Lecturer at the Higher Art Institute, Bela Bartok Diploma and Plaque from Hungary, Emeritus Member of UNEAC and the Knights of Arts and Letters Order, awarded by the French Republic, National Music Award and Master of Youth.